


The Strangest Folly

by dracoqueen22



Series: Folly of the Brave [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Campaign 2 (Critical Role), Episode 5 Related, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 12:12:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16284416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dracoqueen22/pseuds/dracoqueen22
Summary: They’re all a little weird, and Mollymauk can’t help but point it out.





	The Strangest Folly

The sun beats down, warming Fjord’s shoulders. There’s something about the brief pause in their journey that’s a welcome relief. After the chaos that was Trostenwald, and now setting off with a group of strangers as odd as they come, Fjord finds himself wondering if he’s taken on more than he can chew.   
  
Perhaps they all have.   
  
“So you have no problem stealing if the situation calls for it then, yes?”  
  
The comment rises up beside him, spoken playfully, but insightful as well, someone trying to poke into Fjord’s motivations. He supposes they’re all sussing out one another at this point. They’re a group now, but they are still strangers.   
  
There’s a lot they don’t know about each other. Fjord has his own secrets, ones he plans to keep for the foreseeable future. He doesn’t know if he trusts them all yet.   
  
Fjord gives Mollymauk a sidelong look, registering the curious smirk curving the tiefling’s lips. “I think situations can be gray, yeah. I mean, I don’t want to make anyone think they have to behave differently just because they’re part of a group.”  
  
Molly puts his chin on his palm, his fingers rapping on the side of his face, over the feather tattoos. “Interesting.”  
  
“It’s really not.”  
  
“Oh, it is.” He tilts his head to the side. “You have the gait of a serious man with a serious eye for authority. But you’re deceptively shady as fuck and the only issue you have with criminal activity is that it might draw unwanted attention.” His eyes gleam. “Ergo… interesting.”  
  
Fjord crosses his arms and leans back against the cart. “You’re quite interesting yourself.”  
In the distance, Beau and Jester are climbing a tree. For the life of him, Fjord can’t fathom a reason why they feel the need to do so.   
  
“Oh, I am. Very weird, no doubt about that.” Molly steps back and does a little spin, his ostentatious coat swirling about him. “I make it a point to be. That’s part of my charm. No farce here. I am what you see.” He dips down into a bow, hand gesturing in front of him like one might after a successful performance.  
  
It’s an attractive view, Fjord admits. He doesn’t know Mollymauk very well yet, but you don’t have to know someone to be attracted to them.  
  
Fjord pops an eyebrow. “And there’s nothing shifty about you?”  
  
“Oh, I’m shifty as fuck, too. We all are. That’s what makes us fun.” Molly winks and straightens. “Ah, this is going to be an adventure.” He stretches his arms over his head and tips back against the cart next to Fjord.  
  
Fjord chuckles. “You sound excited about that.” He checks the others, finds Beau and Jester leaping out of the tree, chasing each other back toward the cart. Caleb and Nott are nearby, striding slowly in the direction of the cart.  
  
“Well, you know, I don’t like life to be boring. That’d be such a waste.” Molly’s tongue flicks over his lips as he tilts his head to look at Fjord, kicking one boot to rest on the cart wheel behind him. “I’ll try anything once.”  
  
“So you’ve said.” Fjord thinks of the illegal Skein in his pouch. “I think it’s kind of admirable, to live your life the way you want.”  
  
“Because you don’t?”  
  
“Well. I try.”  
  
Molly hums and crosses his arms. “Don’t try, just do. That’s what my mother always said.”  
  
“A wise woman, your mother.”  
  
Molly barks a laugh. He has a pleasant laugh. Genuine. “Yeah, she sure was.” Fjord wonders if he’s missing Yasha, if maybe Mollymauk is seeking out a new companion to temporarily stay by his side.   
  
“What are you guys talking about?” Jester demands as she skids to a stop in front of them, grinning widely, bits of twig and leaves stuck to her hair.  
  
Fjord leans forward and plucks the largest leaf free. “Nothing important,” he says. “Did you see anything?” he asks as Caleb gets within earshot, Frumpkin perched on his shoulder.  
  
“ _Nein_.” Caleb runs a finger over Frumpkin’s crest. “The road is empty for miles.”  
  
“There’s a hole in the tree. Something’s living there,” Jester declares. She leans in close, hand shielding her mouth, like sharing a secret. “I bet little unicorns live there. Beau didn’t believe me.”  
  
Beau snorts as she jogs past and shakes her head.  
  
Caleb helps Nott climb into the cart, and both of them nestle amongst the belongings they’ve piled there. “You, uh, you went to tinkle, _ja_?” he asks, barely audible.   
  
Nott bats his hands away, her face darkening in color. “We travel all the time. I know what to do.”  
  
“Well, I’m just checking.”  
  
Jester climbs up beside them and pulls out her journal. She bends over the pages, expression intent. The end of her marker taps against her bottom lip, her upper body bobbing to some internal song.   
  
These are the people to whom Fjord’s chosen to ally. Could he have found a stranger lot?   
  
Fjord huffs a little laugh. He highly doubts it.   
  
“Looks like the coast is clear. Let’s get going,” Fjord says, patting the side of the cart.   
  
A chorus of agreement rises from his companions. With the sun beaming down on them, hot enough to cause sweat to gather under his clothes and armor, he’s ready to get on to Alfield. Who knows what awaits them there?   
  
“Leadership suits you,” Molly says and gives Fjord a companionable pat to his right shoulder.  
  
“Well, I don’t really think I’m what you’d call a leader,” Fjord starts, but Molly dismisses him with a wink, swords clanking as he jogs to the horse.  
  
Fjord shakes his head.  
  
Mollymauk’s right.  
  
They’re all a little weird.  
  


***

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback, as always, is welcome and appreciated.


End file.
